Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico

I stumbled across a great resource this week! NOAA [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] keeps a website called Ocean Today which is linked to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (one of my favorite museums ever, by the way). Here, they post informative videos about ocean life as well as spotlight videos on issues affecting our oceans today.

Here's one about the current dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. This is human-caused and could just as well be fixed by humans. (P.S. These videos are a bit old-fashioned. Sorry, NOAA, but can't you guys get some younger people in charge of your music and graphics selections? The information is still great though! I posted the link because the video plays automatically and I'm sure you all don't want some narrator shouting at you when you open my blog.) Check it out!

http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/happnowdeadzone/

In case you missed it, a "dead zone" is an area of hypoxia - or oxygen depletion. In short, this is caused by the fertilizers used by farmers in the Mississippi watershed being flushed through the river system and into the Gulf. When these nutrients reach the ocean, phytoplankton that feed on them become concentrated. As they die, they sink to the ocean floor and bacteria use oxygen to decompose them. This uses up far more of the oxygen in the water than is normally used and other organisms (like fish and crustaceans) can no longer survive there. (Flash animation showing this process)

The Gulf of Mexico is a very valuable fishery, and as this hypoxia grows more and more fish die or move on. Recently, marine ecologist Nancy Rabalias was awarded a $500,000 MacArthur Genius Grant for her research done in this area. You can read more about her achievements and future research directions here: http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/10/louisiana_marine_ecologist_win.html

Weekly Video - Crazy Brain Illusion and Bertrand Russell

Where I live, the weather has taken a down-turn after our brief foray into spring. My brain needs a little stimulation after being cooped up inside all day. Here's a fantastic illusion your brain deceives you with without your knowledge. Watch and be amazed.



And for a little philosophical pick-me-up, a few words of wisdom from Bertrand Russell...

Weekly Video - Ant Metropolis Uncovered

Bert Holldobler, a life sciences professor at Arizona State University and collaborator with E. O. Wilson, is an authority on ants. The following clip comes from a documentary in which he explores the life of these fascinating insects.

If you've ever wondered what an ant colony looks like on the inside, look no further. In the clip, Bert pours concrete into a giant ant colony and then proceeds to excavate it. The results are astounding.



You can watch the entire documentary here: Ants - Nature's Secret Power

Weekly Video - Aurora Borealis

With the days growing colder and shorter, I figured I'd choose a topic generally associated with a wintery atmosphere for our weekly video. This is part of a BBC show in which the host gets to see the Northern Lights up in the Arctic Circle.

Weekly Video - Sea Serpents

Ever wonder where the legends of sea serpents come from? The oarfish is a pelagic Lampriform fish that can grow up to 30 feet long. (One species with the amusing name "king of herrings" holds a record of 56 feet in length.) This is what one looks like when we see them at the surface:



Amazingly, the oarfish was recently caught on camera in the Gulf of Mexico:



Utterly insane stuff. This is just a reminder of all that we have yet to learn about the inhabitants of our world's oceans.

Weekly Video: Pale Blue Dot

For your weekly video of awesome I have decided to take things in a slightly different direction.

All hail Carl Sagan.

Weekly Video - Weird Nature Roundup

I love the BBC's Weird Nature segments. (See the vid about the alcoholic vervet monkeys I posted awhile ago.) Here are a few that never cease to amuse and amaze.

Pistol Shrimp - they literally use their claws like a gun.



Doing Wheelies - we weren't the first to exploit the invention of the wheel.



Breakdancing skunks...?



Want more? Just search "weird nature" and you'll find plenty to keep you occupied.

Weekly Video - Barnacle Sex

This week's video was actually featured in a lecture by my marine biology professor when I was an undergrad student. Did you know that barnacles have the largest penis to body size ratio of the animal kingdom? Well, you will after you watch this educational and highly amusing music video.




And for even more fun, a clip from the BBC's hilarious show of talking wildlife footage, Walk On the Wild Side.

Weekly Video - Starling Flocks

Tuesdays are slow and sometimes dreary. The weekend seems like it will be forever in coming, and we could all use a little stimulation. Therefore, I declare Tuesday my official day of the week to post nature/science videos that will intrigue, interest, and sometimes humor you.

Today we have starling flocks! If you've ever seen this phenomenon, you know how improbable it seems that these birds can fly in the thousands without all crashing into each other. But there are no failed flights, there are only these beautiful and fascinating waves of birds in the sky.